Traveling case



March 7, 1944. A. FRlDoLPH 2,343,763

TRAVELJNGy CASE Original F'ledAug. 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 vA.FRIDQLPH 2,343,763

TRAVELING CASE March 7, 1944.

original Filed Aug. 20, 193e 'zsheets-sheet 2 Hte/Wega.

Patented Mar. 7, 1944 TRAVELING CASE Annette Frdolph, New York, N. Y.

Original application August 20, 1936, Serial No. 97,035. Divided andthis application March 26, 1941, Serial No. 385,255

3 Claims.

This invention has to do with a traveling case and more particularlywith a traveling case that is relatively compact and light but still hasthe general functions of a wardrobe trunk.

This application is a division of a co-pending application, Serial No.97,035, filed August 20, 1936.

Modern methods of travel such as by airplane, high-speed automobiles andthe like, present many problems vand difliculties in the proper packingand shipping of Wearing apparel and traveling necessities. Wardrobetrunks and the like are usually too large and heavy and the use of aplurality of smaller traveling bags and the like makes both packing andshipping difficult.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a traveling casethat may be easily handled by one person, which is light and strong, butwhich will still accommodate the complete traveling necessities for anextended trip. The traveling case embodying the features of the presentinvention is particularly suitable for use in air travel and for thepacking and shippingof womens clothes. Important features of the caseinclude a tray slidably but securely held in position by the top ofthecase proper and operating in combination with another tray, positionedin the top of the case, the first named tray being slidable to alposition whereby it registers with the second named tray when the caseis closed. Another feature of the slidable tray is that it may be slid,back and forth along the top of the case proper to permit access to thecontents of the casewithout removal of the tray. ther features have todo with a hanger guide and support formed as a part of one or more sidewalls of the case proper; such guide and support being constructed toreceive the heads ofy a plurality of vertically slidable garment hangerswhereby the garments may be packed 'horizontally in the main storagecompartment of the case, the guide and support retaining the garmenthangers in proper position.

Other features have to do with details of construction and arrangementas will be more clearly set forth in the specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a traveling case embodying the featuresof the present invention, and showing particularly the main traypositioned at the front of the case proper.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the main tray andshowing the fastening studs adapted to cooperate with grooves formed inthe top of the main compartment.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating one form ofconnecting member between the tray and the case.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective viewof the inside of my travelingcase and showing particularly the garment hanger guide and support.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation of one position of the guideand support.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 5 and showingparticularly the embossed portions formed as a part of the guide andsupport for properly retaining the garment hangers in position.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. 5 butillustrating a modified form of retaining members.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, the traveling case is madeup of a main compartment 2, and an auxiliary compartment or lid 3.It-will be understood that the main compartment 2 may vary in depth andin some cases may be of approximately thevsame depth as the compartment3; thelgeneral idea being that the entire depth'of the compartment 2 maybe utilized for storage purposes;

A main tray unit generally designated 4 is designed to be ilush with thetop edges 5 of the main compartment 2. This tray unit 4 preferablyextends the length of, but of less width than the compartment 2. Eachend of the tray unit 4 is preferably provided with a plurality of studmembers B having enlarged heads. The turned over edges 5 at the top ofthe compartment 2 are provided with longitudinal slots 'l and such slots1 are provided with spaced openings 8 of a size adapted to receive theheads of the studs 6. The openings yS are preferably positioned adjacentthe back or hinged side of the compartment 2 so that the stud members 6may be Yinserted through the openings 8 and then the tray 4 slidforwardly towards the position shown in Fig. 1. When slid forwardly, itwill be obvious that the tray mem'- ber 4 will be held securely inpositionas a temporaryiixed part of the compartment 2.

The tray member 4 preferably consists of a small compartment or box 9for the storage of articles of the type most frequentlyused. This box 9may have the usual cover or in its preferred form, the top wall l0 ofthe compartment 3 will form a closure for the compartment 9. Theextension of the tray 4 is preferably provided with a. plurality ofapertures I2 for receiving strap members or the like to hold shirts andother similar articles in position on the top oi the tray. By making thestrap members adjustable or by varying their length, it will be Seenthat it would be possible to stack shirts or similar articles on the topof the tray 4 to a height equivalent to the depth of the compartment 3.

The compartment 3 is provided with an auxiliary compartment or box I3which box may be divided up into a plurality of small compartments andan auxiliary drawer or drawers as best shown in Fig. l. An importantfeature of this box I3 is that it opens upwardly when the lid 3 is swungto the position shown in Fig. 1. 'I'he box I3 is preferably fixed inposition and is of such a length or height that when the tray 4 is movedto its forward position, and the lid 3 closed relative to thecompartment 2, the top edge I4 will be positioned closely adjacent oreven touching the wall I5 of the box 9. As the height of the box 9 andthe depth of the box I3 are preferably the same, it will be seen thatthe wall I5 of the box 9 forms a cover for the open ends of the smallcompartments forming a part of the box I3. Thus when the lid 4member 3is inclosed position all the space in the one half of the compartment 3will be completely taken by the two auxiliary compartments or boxes 9and I3, the box I3 serving to reinforce or lock the box 9 in position.

It will be obvious that when the lid member 3 is in open position asshown in Fig. l, the tray member 4 may be slid back and forth to permitaccess to the contents of the main compartment 2. It will further 'beunderstood that the length of the compartments or boxes 9 and I3 mayvary considerably, particularly if the portion II of the tray 4 is notused for shirts and the like.

Cooperating with the slidable and flush tray member 4 are hanger guideand support members generally designated I6, preferably positionedcentrally of each end wall of the main compartment 2. In Fig. 4 I haveshown one hanger guide and support member as being secured to the endwall I 1.

As best shown in Fig. 6, the member IS is hollow in cross-section and isprovided with a slot I8 extending longitudinally thereof. At spacedintervals along the slot I8 are formed openings I9 adapted to freelyreceive head members 2U formed as a part of a garment hanger such asillustrated as at 2I, the heads 20 being connected to the main part ofthe garment hanger by means of a neck 22 of a size adapted to slide inthe slot I8.

Embossed portions 23 are preferably formed in the wall of the member I6adjacent the openings I9 so that the head 20 of the hanger lmay beinserted through the opening I9 and then moved past the slightlyresilient embossed portions 23 so that the hanger is normally retainedsome place between adjacent openings I9. Thus in first placing garmentsin the main compartment 2, one would place the head of the hangercarrying the garment in one of the openings I9 adjacent the bottom ofthe compartment. Using a slight pressure, the head 20 will be forcedpast the embossed portions 23. Garment hangers may then be insertedthrough such openings I9 until the space between that opening and thenext lower opening shall be substantially filled with garment hangers.After this, the head of the next garment hanger may be inserted in thenext above opening I9. Or, if desired, the hangers may be alternatelyarranged in opposite guide members I6 at the respective ends of thecompartment 2, so that adjacent garments overlap. In this manner, itwill be seen that the main compartment may be packed very easily andcompactly. Furthermore, because of the spaced openings I9, it becomesrelatively easy to remove a garment which was originally positioned inbetween other garments. The tray member 4 being flush with the top ofthe main compartment allows for complete filling of the main compartmentand, furthermore, by sliding the tray back and forth, access may be hadto the garment hangers guided and supported by the member or members I6In Fig. 7 I have shown a modified form of retaining means for thegarment hanger in that pivoted retainer clips 24 are positioned adjacenteach opening I9, such clips being swung around to the position shown inthe upper part of Fig. to permit entrance of the hanger heads and thenbeing movable to the position shown at the bottom of Fig. 7 to retainthe hangers within the guide and support.

What I claim is:

1. A traveling case comprising a main com. partment and a hanger guideand support member formed as a part of one of the Walls of saidcompartment, said member including relatively thin plate means spacedfrom said Wall of the compartment, said plate means being provided witha slot and a plurality of spaced openings, and a hanger member having aneck portion and an enlarged head, said head being insertable in, orremovable through, any one of vsaid openings and slidable along saidslot, and means located adjacent each opening adapted to retain the headof the garment hanger selectively between any two apertures of saidsupport member.

2. A traveling case comprising a main compartment and one or more guidemembers on one or more walls of said main compartment, said guidemembers having openings at spaced intervals for receiving a portion of agarment hanger whereby garment hangers may be laterally inserted andmovable within said guide members, and embossed portions adjacent eachof said openings to retain said garment hangers between any two openingsin the portion of the guide members in which they are inserted.

3. A device for supporting fabrics, garments and other like articles,which comprises a supporting panel, a T-slot formed as a part of saidpanel having a plurality of enlarged apertures in the slot spaced fromthe end thereof and available from the open side of the slot, meansslidably received by said slot through one of said enlarged apertures,locking means for said last named means directly adjacent each of saidapertures to maintain the same within said T-slot, article supportingmeans, and means connecting said slidable means and said articlesupporting means.

ANNEITE FRIDOLPH.

